This game could beneift from a classic server.

[Aidrianna]

I would enjoy a "classic" server.

"Move on already!" isn't a useful argument against it.

[Suteru]

A classic server wouldn't work unless it was backed with a huge population surge. The numbers in the game today couldn't handle the old-style game.

[Camiie]

A classic server wouldn't work unless it was backed with a huge population surge. The numbers in the game today couldn't handle the old-style game.

Exactly. The old game required lots of people to keep the gil, materials, and equipment flowing. Even if you matched the population of a present day, up-to-date server (which is unlikely and also not saying much) it wouldn't be realistically sustainable.

[Stompa]

A classic server wouldn't work unless it was backed with a huge population surge. The numbers in the game today couldn't handle the old-style game.

This, quoted above, is the main reason that a voluntary retro server might fail.

The other reason is that the old game worked OK because people did not know anything else. They had not leeched lvl 30-99 while asleep in doll ops, lol. They had never felt the happy, bouncy and quite frankly sexy feeling you get when you enter a capped battle and your level 99 gear scales down automatically. No need for energy earring+1s or seer's set+1s in your moghouse lol. Just enter the bc and you automatically have the correct level armors and weaps. People in the old game had never experience level-synch, and so we made do without it (I hope our dc'd paladin can reconnect to POL soon, there's no other lvl 45 PLDs looking for party!).

And the problem with all that is, now people have tasted the sugary delights of enhanced movement speed, level synch, HP warp, Free Stuff all the time, Trusts and uncapped solo mission progress, and gear scaling etc.etc.

I have real doubts that the majority of people would want to stop enjoying these honey-glazed chocolate treats of FFXI 2014, and go back to the cold watery gruel that we ate every day in the old game. We ate that gruel because it was all we had lol.

[Logical5]

It isn't necessary to think of a classic server solely in the context of using the old 2007 spaghetti code. For example, they could retain level sync and the quality of life adjustments (which may very well be simpler from the a work-required-to-implement perspective), and merely strip away all modern content. I would certainly personally hope that SE would nix trusts and keep missions group-focused and level capped, though.

Additionally, the point about the number of players required to create a functional server economy is a fair argument. However, some simple changes might alleviate that, though - for example, they could reduce the costs certain NPCs charged to help control the outflow of gil in the economy. And level sync would be a helpful tool to assist in filling that odd slot or two in exp parties. Or perhaps make some changes to crafting to speed the craft-leveling process up so nudge the economy a bit.

But we're picking at details unnecessarily - if SE performed a survey that generated substantial interest and indicated positive subscription revenue potential, what would be the harm in going forward with a classic server? I'm having trouble justifying the opposition's staunch resistance to this idea - none of us have any idea what SE's internal cost structure looks like, and it's all conjecture. I'm just pushing for them to take notice of this as a potential way to augment subscription revenue by re-interesting old, unsubscribed players - if it makes sense for them from a financial perspective, why offer such vehement discouragement against a legacy or classic server?

[Malithar]

It isn't necessary to think of a classic server solely in the context of using the old 2007 spaghetti code. For example, they could retain level sync and the quality of life adjustments (which may very well be simpler from the a work-required-to-implement perspective), and merely strip away all modern content.

At that point, what is the point? Find like minded people in the game now and set such things up. The old school content and gear hasn't gone away. "But we have abilities, spells, and jobs that weren't around back then! QQ" Then ban them from the runs your group does.

Personally don't care one way or another about a classic server, but I'd put myself in the camp saying it wouldn't work for many of the reasons stated already. Just don't see the point of clamoring for such a thing when by and large, the tools are available to have your own classic renditions. RMEs don't scale correctly? They weren't a dime a dozen back then anyways, do the content without them. Don't have access to your AF/relic cause you reforged? Request/re-get it. Staying on a current server and making it work with a group of like minded people also solves the supply issue, shout around and find people willing to make old gear that you need.

If anything, I'd be asking for a way to manually set a lvl cap for the group, so you don't need to worry about finding a lvl 75 job to sync to to be able to do the content in the way that you wish.